Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1887-05-26
BILLIE NyE's PASS.
Lines ON Returning the Precious
Docunacnt to Its Generous
GiNcr

Atchson, Topeka x Santa Fc Rail.
road, through the columns of the
Chicago Inter Ocean:
DEAR SIR:--I enclose herewith an.
nual pass NO, q OJ0 for self and family
the year 1887. also return YOUR phor
tograph and tho letters you have writ
zen me during the past ilvo years. viii
you kindly return minei And SO this
orlet and beautiful experience Ia To
snd and each must go his own way
heroaftor.
Alasi
10 you this may be easy, but IL brings
q pang TO my heart which your gentle
letter OF the hrst inst can not wholly
alleviate
Whenever hereafter YOU look upon
his tear-speckled pass will you not
thlnk OF met Remember that you have
cast mo from you and that I am wan-
dering across the bleak aud wind-svept
plalns, sadly enumerating the t.es on
my way TO eternity.
do not say this to reproach you. for
fear that you care for another, and 80
we could not be happy again together.
out, ON DO you pause to fully compre-
henu the pang II costs me To return
this pleasant-iaced little pass with its
conditions on the hackp Could you SEQ
me even now, as / write these lines,
turning away ever and anon, laying
aside my trembling pen to go and sit
by the CRATE and shudder aud weep,
aud put out the lre with my bitter tears.
your henrt would soften, and yoti
would say: Return, oh wanderer, re-
turnp
You do not say In your letter that I
have been false to you, or that 4 have
grown cold. You do not charge me
win lnhdelity, or failure TO provide
ou simply say that IL would be better
Tor each 10 go his several ways, forget
ing that my several ways are passing
away, passing away.
IL is all very well for you 10 talk about
going your several wsys. You have
every facility for doing so, but with mo
~ Is different. Several years ago m
large North western cyclone and my
sell tried To pass each other on the
same track. When the wrecking crew
found me / was In the crotch of n hut.
ternut tree with broken leg. Since
That time / have walked with great
alnlculty, and 10 go my several ways
mas been serious matter with me.
But j do not want you TO think that
am murmuring. l accept my doom
calmly, yet with slight tingc OF una
vailing regret.
Some time perhaps, i'm the middle of
the dark and angry night, when the
cold blasts wall through the telegraph
wires and the crashing sleet rtfshes
with wild and impetuous fury against
tho windows OF your special car, as
you lie warmly enscOnced la your vo-
luptuous berth and hear the pitIless
winds with hoarBe and croupy means
chase each other around the Kansas
haystacks or shrek wildly away as they
light out for their cheeTless home IN,
the Bad Lands, will you not think of
me as grope on blindly through the
keen and pitilcss blasts, stumbling
over cattleguards, falling into culgerts,
and beating out my rare young brains
against your rough right OF way, will
you not think OF meY do not ask
much OF you, but do ask this as We
separate forever
As you 60 whiz by me do not treat
me with contumely, or throw Crackers
at me when have meekly turned out
70 let your naughty Old train 90 by. 4
have always spoken Of you In the high
est terms and hope you will do the
same by me
Life Is short at tho best, aud It Is es-
peciailY so for those who have 10 walk.
Walking has already shortened my life
n great deal, and I wouldn't be sur
prised IL the exposure and buniOns OF
the year 1887 carried me of. Leaving a
gap ia American literature that will
look like a new cellar.
Should any Of your engineers or
trackmen find me frozen in a cut next
winter when the grass gets short and
the nights get long, VIII yOu kindly
ask them 20 report the brand 90 your
aud tor aud instruct him % allow my
family what he thinks would be right1
hate 20 write 20 you In this dpjected
manner, biit you can not understand
how heavy my heart Is 20 day as I pen
these lines.
wish You and your beautiful road
unm tiRafed success. 10 Is a good road.
fOf have passed over 10 ard enjOyed
Il. How different the country will
look % me as 1 90 bounding from tie 70
TIE, slowly repeaung to myself the trits
remark once made by the Governor OF
North Carolina - the executive OF
south CarO.lna'
hope you may never know what it
s % pun into tue quaint little city OF
LaJunta with the du8t OF many a mills
upon you and the thirst of long une-
venttul journey in your throat. i hOps
that Congress VIII not pass a law next
year which viii make 10 felony for
a railroad man % say gosh without
permit. hope that your life will bs
chuCh full Of huTrah and haiIeiufab.
even it mine seould be always bleak
and jgyle8s.
Can doyout road any good. either
AA AlAhllH ~ NNANNiNf NI.lNI MH or Serve
ice to you over your right-Of- BY
collecting nuts. bolts, old iron or other
bric-a-bracf 1 would he glad 30 infiu.
ence Immigration or pull weeds be-
tween The tracks IN you would be will
ling O. regard me as au emplOye.
j VIII now take "a last look at the fair,
young features or your pass before n
naily sealing this letter. How sad 10
see an annual pass cut down in iife's
young morning ere one-fOurth Of It's
race bad been runs How tOuchfui 90
part from 10 f0rtFefi
What % sad year THIS has been 20 farf
Earthquake. nres. storms. railway dis
asteF5 aud death iu every form have
VISIT ted OR country. and now Ike the
biting blasts from S IBERIA or the nip-
ping fros.s from Manitoba. comes the
congressional cutw0rm. cutting of the
early crop OF fowcriug annuals Just as
they bad tudded 90 bloom into beauty
and useiu.nossi
viii now close this sad letter 70 60
over into tlo vacant lot, behind the
high board fence, where i can sob I'm
ON uulcttercd way without shaking the
gld out Oi my easement.
ours, with cr0ckful of uushcd
Years cn hand. EfLL NYE.